DJ DIARIES: On our way to break a record

You’re probably no stranger to remixed songs, but do you know the first song to have been given the honor? Well, neither do we.

One of the first remixed songs to blow up and go mainstream though is “Rockit” by Herbie Hancock. Grand Mixer D.ST remixed the 1983 jazz single. It was so popular that they actually performed it at the Grammy’s, complete with the freaky robo-humans from the music video. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s definitely worth a watch.

Since DJing is artistic, DJs strive to create their own sound with whatever they can find. This often comes in the form of sampling or mixing other music. The art of mixing has many aspects. Every DJ has their own special way to mix.

The uniqueness of mixing is so important that a band of DJs came together to show off their talent and relayed back to back. Each of them had to seamlessly mix their own set for about an hour after another DJ “tossed” it to them.

A whopping 151 DJs came to perform at Dubai Mall’s Ice Rink. Skaters and music enthusiasts were witnesses for this record shattering event in 2015.

He wasn’t able to take part in that record, but Oratilwe AJ Hlongwane is definitely on his way to doing huge things in the music world too.

Oratilwe, who also goes by the name of Dj Arch Jnr when he’s spinning mad beats, recently became a Guinness Record holder as the world’s youngest club DJ. This little prodigy is just over five years old.

He just broke the record in 2017, but his determination ignited when he won South Africa’s Got Talent in 2015, putting him at around three years old.

Though a bit older, Polish DJ Norberto Loco was able to beat the record for longest marathon club DJing despite having the power cut. This feat took place in a bar in Dublin, Ireland in 2014.
The record?  An amazing 200 hours of nonstop beats. Before you ask, the rules state that no song can be played twice within four hours of its first play.

This marathon king was technically dethroned in 2016 though. DJ Obi of Nigeria broke the Polish DJ’s record by 40 hours. Guinness Records hasn’t officially claimed him as the new title holder, but DJ Obi was careful to follow the rules.

He was so determined to win the crown that he even suffered hallucinations during his ten-day long set. He called his quick five seconds of eye rest “disco naps” since actual sleep would have disqualified him.

Thankfully, we haven’t had to go through any crazy hallucinations yet despite our DJs getting minimal sleep some nights. Even though our DJs aren’t record holders yet, they’re definitely something to brag about. Make sure you keep up with us on our social media for opportunities to live it up with us.